Tim Mayer set to announce FIA presidency bid

Tim Mayer is set to announce that he is running for the FIA presidency in December’s election, according to Autosport sources.

Mayer, son of former McLaren team principal Teddy Mayer, aims to stand against current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem – who fired him as an FIA steward last November.

The 59-year-old American is set to host a press conference near Silverstone on Friday morning on the eve of the British Grand Prix. 

Reports by the BBC and verified by Autosport have indicated Mayer as the figure aiming to stand against Ben Sulayem.

Last week Carlos Sainz Sr announced he would not run for the FIA president role having initially signalled his intention to stand in May. Sainz pointed to “present circumstances” not suiting a run against Ben Sulayem and the Spaniard also highlighted his ongoing Dakar commitments.

But this appears to have not deterred Mayer, who will need to provide a full team of officials to fill senior roles in the FIA before being allowed to stand as a candidate. Mayer’s opportunity to stand will also be scrutinised by the FIA nominations committee, which reports to the FIA president.

Mayer has held senior positions in IMSA and the American Le Mans Series, as well as various stewarding roles for the FIA across multiple championships, including Formula 1.

Mayer was sacked by Ben Sulayam’s organisation last year after he represented the Circuit of the Americas in a right of review hearing over a fine the track was given for a crowd invasion at the end of last year’s United States Grand Prix.

The fallout saw Mayer express criticisms of Ben Sulayem’s FIA presidency, having revealed he was central to a number of controversial decisions, including the swearing ban that led to Max Verstappen being given a community service order for bad language during the FIA press conference at the Singapore GP last year.

Mayer is one of several senior officials to have been fired by the FIA in the last two years, which also include former F1 race director Niels Wittich.